Congress mourns Mandela's death

Nelson Mandela’s death prompted an outpouring of mourning and reflection on Capitol Hill.

House Speaker John Boehner called Mandela a “champion of peace and racial harmony.”

Story Continued Below

“Nelson Mandela was an unrelenting voice for democracy and his ‘long walk to freedom’ showed an enduring faith in God and respect for human dignity,” Boehner said in a statement. “His perseverance in fighting the apartheid system will continue to inspire future generations. Mandela led his countrymen through times of epic change with a quiet moral authority that directed his own path from prisoner to president.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the world lost “a leader who advanced the cause of equality and human rights.”

“May the life of Nelson Mandela long stand as the ultimate tribute to the triumph of hope,” Pelosi said in a statement. “May his story long remind us to always look forward with optimism to the future. May it be a comfort to his family, to his friends and loved ones, to the people of South Africa that so many mourn the loss of this extraordinary man and incredible leader at this sad time.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Mandela’s death should lead more reconciliation around the world.

“‘Madiba’s patience through imprisonment and insistence on unity over vengeance in the delicate period in which he served stand as a permanent reminder to the world of the value of perseverance and the positive influence one good man or woman can have over the course of human affairs,” McConnell said in a statement. “The world mourns this great leader. May his passing lead to a deeper commitment to reconciliation around the world.”

Senate Foreign Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said when he met Mandela, he was “humbled by his humility.”

“Few individuals in human history can truly claim a legacy of peace and perseverance like Mandela can,” Menendez said in a statement. “We as a global community are fortunate to have benefited from Mandela’s greatness and will forever be awed by his brave journey.”

“His vision and lack of vindictiveness was amazing, and brought South Africans through a very difficult transition, which could have gone in a very different, violent direction,” Royce said in a statement. “Most impressively, he elected to serve a single presidential term, turning over power he assuredly could have kept.”

Rep. Eliot Engel, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called Mandela “one of the great leaders of our time.”

“While it is hard to believe that he is no longer with us, Mr. Mandela will continue to live through his powerful legacy,” Engel said in a statement. “Ages from now, people will remember Nelson Mandela’s name and what he did for his country.”

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, also praised Mandela.

“As an inspirational leader, Nelson Mandela brought about a better way of life for his people of South Africa and inspired millions throughout the world,” Corker said in a statement. “While we are all saddened by his passing, his personal story and contributions to freedom, democracy, and human rights will live on forever.”